Quick Facts on Andy

Characteristics of Andy

Authoritative

Powerful

Tough

Tenacious

Wealthy

Problem-solver

Achiever

Etymology & Historical Origin - Andy

Andy is the pet form of Andrew, Andrea(s) and André(s). Andy ultimately originated from the Greek name “Andreas”, stemming from ‘andr’ which translates into “man” or “warrior”. Andrew is the name of the first disciple called by Jesus in the New Testament. A Galilean fisherman and the brother of St. Peter, St. Andrew was a follower of John the Baptist and one of the first to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. After the Resurrection, St. Andrew went on to preach in Asia Minor and Greece. He became one of the most popular saints in the Middle Ages and was chosen to be the patron saint of Russia, Greece and Scotland. It has long been a widely popular boys’ name in the English-speaking world, but particularly in Scotland. All forms of this name are very popular throughout the Western world. Andy developed as a pet form of the anglicized Andrew. Remarkably, it has been in use as an independently given name for at least two or three centuries.

Popularity of the Name Andy

Andy has maintained pretty moderate levels of success consistently on the U.S. naming charts for well over a century. We were surprised to see the steady usage of Andy as an independently given male name – we still think of it as a nickname! It seems that many people out there in fact prefer Andy as a stand-alone name to the more traditional Andrew. It definitely sounds more masculine and to-the-point. Andy is a no-nonsense choice for a boy – it’s strong and ‘manly’ yet also upbeat and energetic. Keep in mind, though, that Andy is also a nickname for girls (for Andrea).

Popularity of the Boy Name Andy

You need Adobe Flash Player 6 (or above) to view the charts. It is a free and lightweight installation from Adobe.com. Please click here to install the same.

Cultural References to the Baby Name - Andy

Literary Characters of the Baby Name Andy

Andy Brown (Amos & Andy) Andy Brown is one half of the comedy team called “Amos ‘n Andy”, an African American based situation comedy on radio and television from the 1920s through the 1960s. Andy (voiced by the white Charles Correll) was the egotistical big dreamer, who does a little more dreaming than working, in contrast to the modest and industrious Amos Smith. Andy and Amos, and later their sidekick, “The Kingfish”, have hilarious adventures among their friends and families and their colleagues at “The Mystic Knights of the Sea”. Of course, the program was inappropriate in some of its depictions of blacks, but by and large, the blustering Andy is about the only one who doesn’t hold a steady job, ply a profession or own his own business. Nonetheless, as funny as it was, as endearing and enduring (so said almost 40 million listeners, making it one of the most popular shows of all time), it eventually fell victim to the many outraged voices raised in opposition to its existence. Probably rightly so, but undoubtedly among those 40 million were not just a few African Americans who saw Andy as just another lovable bumbler, no matter his color.

Andy Capp (Andy Capp Cartoons) Andy Capp is the cartoon character created by the British cartoonist, Reg Smythe, first appearing in 1957. He is a shiftless, unemployed, hard-drinking, fight-picking, pigeon-racing, dart-playing, womanizing, lazy ne’er-do-well – he is as un-politically correct as they come, and he’s a riot! His long-suffering wife, Flo, brings in what little money they have by working as a cleaning woman, and Andy promptly loses it at the horse races or spends it at the pub. The rent is always overdue and the furniture is constantly being repossessed. Andy’s been toned down a good bit in the last twenty-five years or so – he no longer smokes, and he and Flo no longer engage in domestic fisticuffs (they now see marriage-counselors). He still has a huge fan club, and that includes Flo, who really does love her “Pet”, after all – well, they seek out counseling, don’t they? (Even if all the file drawers in the counselor’s office are labeled “Capp”…)

Raggedy Andy (Raggedy Andy) Raggedy Andy is the companion boy doll to Raggedy Ann, the rag doll created by Johnny Gruelle for his daughter, Marcella, and introduced to the public in a series of delightful books he wrote and illustrated, beginning in 1918. Andy was presented in 1920, with Raggedy Andy Stories. He wears a sailor suit and hat and has shoe button eyes, red yarn for hair and a big cheery smile. Andy and all the dolls in the nursery have great adventures after Marcella has gone to bed at night, because of course, that is when they can talk and run around and play and laugh, when no one is looking. Perhaps the stories may seem a little saccharine to today’s savvy generation of children, but Andy and his sister doll are enormously popular. Raggedy Andy joined The National Toy Hall of Fame in 2007, having been preceded by his big sister in 2002.

Popular Songs on Andy

Andy Stern - a song by Diesel Boy

Andy Warhol - a song by David Bowie

Andy You're A Star - a song by The Killers

Andy's Chest - a song by Lou Reed

Andy's Chest - a song by the Velvet Underground

Andy's Doin' Time - a song by Bleach

Andy's Last Beer - a song by Umphrey's McGee

Andy’s Babies - a song by Lloyd Cole

Children's Books on the Baby Name Andy

Andy and His Yellow Frisbee (Mary Thompson) - This heartwarming story introduces young readers to autism, a disability that can be particularly confusing for those who know little about it. Mary Thompson, author My Brother, Matthew brings her charming story alive with vivid watercolors. “Around and around went the Frisbee. Around and around and around, all recess long.” Sarah, the new girl at school, is curious about why Andy spins his yellow Frisbee every day by himself on the playground. In fact, Andy's seeming fascination for objects in motion is characteristic of his autism. When Sarah tries to talk to Andy in the playground, Rosie, Andy's older sister, watches and worries about how her brother may react. Rosie knows that Andy is in his own world most of the time, and that he has trouble finding the words to express himself. Though he doesn't talk to her, Sarah thinks she understands why Andy spins things so much. And Rosie is relieved to see that her brother doesn't need her protection. She's hopeful about Andy's next encounter with Sarah. Recommended for ages 4-8.

Andy and Tamika (David A. Adler) - Andy Russell's active brain is always busy but rarely tuned into what is going on in his fourth-grade class. While the other students are hard at work, he chooses names for what he hopes will be a new brother, worries about a stray cat hanging around the playground, and thinks about his pal Tamika or his enemy Stacy Ann Jackson. Fractions may not be Andy's bag, but he makes top grades at caring for animals and for friends in need. He willingly offers some of his 50 baby gerbils as prizes for the school carnival but insists the new owners sign a contract promising proper care for their new pets. When Tamika loses her foster family, Andy's family takes her in and he arranges a celebration to welcome her. Andy is an unusual male character because his exploits deal with emotions and relationships rather than physical challenges. Recommended for ages 9-12.

Andy and the Lion (James Daugherty) - In this retelling of Androcles and the Lion, Andy meets a lion on the way to school and wins his friendship for life by removing a thorn from his paw. Recommended for ages 4-8.

Andy Shane, Hero At Last (Jennifer Richard Jacobson) - There are two things Andy Shane wants more than anything — to win the contest for best-decorated bike in the parade, and…to be a hero. He has a great idea for the bike part, although high-strung Dolores is upping the ante with her paper-daisy-covered helmets for her and her cat. But the second goal has Andy stumped, until the parade is in motion and his eagle eyes catch the reason why the drum corps has suddenly thrown the marchers out of whack. Pass the baton to a lovably low-key hero as he saves the day in a new adventure for early chapter-book readers."Jacobson’s light touch and respect for her audience make the ordinary happenings of a little boy in a small town universal. Young readers just beginning to feel confident with chapter books will identify with Andy and will smile when they find out how his dream comes true. . . Hooray for Andy Shane!" says The Hornbook Magazine. Also in the series by Jennifer Jacobson are Andy Shane and the Barn Sale Mystery; Andy Shane Is Not in Love; Andy Shane and the Queen of Egypt; Andy Shane and the Pumpkin Trick; and Andy Shane and the Very Bossy Dolores Starbuckle. Recommended for ages 7-10.

Andy That's My Name (Tomie dePaola) - In this charming 1973 book, the big kids dismiss Andy as too little to play with, but they're happy to make words out of his name. Recommended for ages 3-7.

Andy Warhol (Mike Venezia) - Young readers will obtain a light-hearted yet realistic overview of the celebrated artist''s life and work, enhanced by Venezia''s illustrations and story line. Recommended for ages 4-8.

Cowboy Ned & Andy (David Ezra Stein) - It's Cowboy Ned's birthday! His trusty dapple gray steed, Andy, knows that the best thing to have on your birthday is a birthday cake. While Cowboy Ned sleeps soundly, Andy wanders across the desert in search of a birthday surprise for his friend and along the way discovers what really makes a birthday special. Echoing the simple yet graceful cowboy poetry of yore, Caldecott Honor artist David Ezra Stein's picture-book debut celebrates best friends. Recommended for ages 4-8.

Raggedy Ann & Andy (Johnny Gruelle) - Beloved dolls for the ages... Ninety years ago a story about a rag doll found in a grandmother's attic captured the hearts of Americans. Through many generations Raggedy Ann and Andy and their stories have been shared between parents and children and grandparents and grandchildren. There are many stories of adventure, friendship, and devotion in several published books – all of which should be read aloud! Recommended for ages baby to preschool.

The Adventures of Anna and Andy Hummingbird (Linda P. Young) - The author says: This book is about the fun two young Hummingbirds seem to have. I have watched them on my back patio for years and decided it was time to write something fun. Great for parents to read to their young children or even an older brother/sister to read to siblings. This book starts with their birth, Anna and Andy. Then starts the adventures they take in their life. Recommended for ages 4-8.

Uncle Andy's (James Warhola) - James' life couldn't be more different from Uncle Andy's. His dad (Andy's brother) is a junkman, and the wonderful introductory spread shows the Warholas' shabby house, its lawn strewn with trash and treasures. Every so often, James and his family head to New York to surprise their artist uncle and the kids' grandmother, and for James it's like stepping into another world, as the exciting pictures of driving into the city so clearly express. Andy Warhol thinks everything is art, so there are painted soup cartons in one room and crumpled cars in another. The children love watching him create, but it is young James who truly gets the bug, and the artwork in this book is a testament to his considerable talent. Most kids won't know who Andy Warhol is (the author's note introduces him), but celebrity doesn't really matter here because children will be enamored with this off-beat artist, who owns dozens of wigs and has dozens of cats (all named Sam). Recommended for ages 4-8.

Uncle Andy's Cats (James Warhola) - Uncle Andy’s Cats tells the story of how Andy Warhol and Bubba start with a single feline named Hester, acquire a companion for her named Sam, and end up with 25 kittens that look like their dad. Overrun by cats in a house already filled top to bottom with Warhol's art, the artist and his mother create two books about the Sams, which lead to happy relocations for the kittens. Warhola has masterfully combined a childlike delight at the almost alien world that his celebrated relative lives in, while impressing on the audience the idea that even famous artists have to deal with worldly matters. The natural playfulness of the 25 Sams adds zest to an already eclectic household and provides Warhola ample opportunity for cheerfully chaotic illustrations of cats and Pop Art trying to coexist. Pictures such as a stampede of Sams running between Warhol's legs or the exhausted artist asleep in bed with only his trademark white hair visible among a sea of kitties are delightful. Young readers will be glad for this opportunity to revisit the tall, skinny house in New York. Recommended for ages 4-8.

Andy - Boy Baby Name - Historic Figures

Search Baby Names

Personality of the Boy Name Andy

The number Eight personality has everything to do with power, wealth and abundance. Somehow, this personality has been blessed on the material plane, but their authoritative and problem-solving traits provide evidence that their good fortunes are not just the luck of the lottery. They are well earned. This is the personality of CEOs and high-ranking military personnel. Eights are intensely active, hard-driving individuals. Success is only meaningful to them after a job well-done. They are remarkable in their ability to see the larger picture right down to the smallest details, and organize a strategy around success. They then have the ability to direct a group around them toward any goal, and realize individual potential to get the most out of their team.